- PPF Points
- 2,100
How Fake Reviews and Affiliate Links Are Turbocharging Scams Online
Alright, let’s get real for a sec—online trust these days? Hangin’ by a thread. We don’t just shop on the internet; we let total randos on TikTok and Amazon basically decide what we buy for dinner, what weird gadget lands in our mailbox next week, and what scammer might snatch our cash. The con artists know it, too. They're not wasting time on those “I am a Nigerian Prince” emails anymore. Nah, they’re hiding right in plain sight—with five-star reviews and influencer shoutouts.
If you think scams in 2025 look like some dude in a trench coat, think again. It’s Amazon best-sellers, viral YouTube “testimonials,” and just… affiliate links absolutely everywhere. Congrats, you’ve entered the post-skepticism era—a playground for grifters.
Why Scams Are Going Viral Like TikTok Dances
Back in the day? Scams were, frankly, tragic. “Hello sir, you win iPhone, send $50 now.” Or those browser pop-ups you couldn't close fast enough. Now? Totally different game. You get a cheery influencer plugging the “Only Toolkit You’ll Ever Need!” Or an Amazon review section with more exclamation points than sense. All fake, all the time.
Here’s the sauce:
Fake Reviews: The Internet’s Favorite Lying Game
Let’s be honest, scrolling through fake reviews is practically a hobby now. “OMG this product changed my LIFE!!!” Sure, Jan. Half these reviews are bots, some are random people from review sweatshops, some from college kids wanting a free mousepad in exchange for praising a product they never touched.
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork? Review farms so big they probably have a football league.
Amazon: Once the Goat, Now the Land of Fakerinos
Amazon used to be the gold standard for, “Is this worth spending twenty bucks on?” Not anymore. A ReviewMeta study in 2024 straight-up said over a third of Amazon reviews look sketchy. Thirty-five percent! Facebook groups are out here recruiting fake reviewers like it’s a sorority rush. People literally get paid to “buy,” leave a five-star review, and get their money back. It’s a conga line of garbage products convincing everyone they’re the real deal, while actually-good stuff gets buried in the junk heap.
Who loses? Us, of course. We waste money, get stuck with trash products, and good luck getting refunds.
Affiliate Links: Who Knew Earning Commission Was This Sus?
Affiliate marketing. That phrase used to mean, “Hey, I’m recommending this cool thing I actually use.” Now? It’s become the Wild West. Sign up within five minutes, grab your special link, recommend literally anything, and cash in on sales—sometimes fifty, sixty, eighty percent of the sale price. Not always a bad thing, but, y’know, pretty ugly when the product is vaporware.
Influencers: Now Affiliate Bros Who Just Want Your Click
A ton of YouTube and TikTok “creators” are just full-time affiliate marketers in disguise. Their main job? Pumping out wild claims so you’ll hit that link. Ever see, “I made $10,000 in three days with this exact side hustle—check the link below!” Yeah, they didn’t. They got a PDF from the seller, repeated whatever was in there, and crossed their fingers you’d fall for it.
If you buy, they win. If you get scammed, eh—onto the next viral hustle.
Welcome to the Grift Loop
Let’s paint the picture:
1. Some “never-seen-before” scammy product drops—like a $47 IG follower hack or a “Make $1,000/week” workshop.
2. Reviews? Fake. All glowing. All paid for.
3. Affiliates dive in. They want that sweet commission, so hype machine goes brrrr.
4. Viral spreads quickly—bloggers, YouTubers, TikTokers, everyone raving.
5. People buy, get ripped off, regret life.
6. Complaints mount? Scammers slap on a new name, start over, rinse, repeat.
Some Real World Shadiness
That “Ultimate AI Copywriter Thing”
Remember early 2024? Feels like a long time ago, huh? Influencers lost their minds over a “revolutionary” AI writing app—they promised it would get you financially free in, like, two months. What was it really? Just a buggy skin over OpenAI’s API, full of glitches, plus your data went off somewhere in Eastern Europe. Affiliates raked it in; users, not so much.
The Legendary $99 Side Hustle Mockery
Gorgeous sales page, “six-figure secrets,” and, drama alert, 5-star reviews everywhere. But open the “toolkit” and you got: a PDF full of nonsense, Canva templates you could drum up in half an hour, and broken links galore. The actors from “rave” testimonials? Probably already on to their next gig. The “company?” Poof—like it never existed.
Listen: the con game has leveled up. Don’t trust the five stars, the influencer plugs, or the “secret tools.” If something smells fishy, it’s probably just the internet cooking up another viral scam.
Alright, let’s get real for a sec—online trust these days? Hangin’ by a thread. We don’t just shop on the internet; we let total randos on TikTok and Amazon basically decide what we buy for dinner, what weird gadget lands in our mailbox next week, and what scammer might snatch our cash. The con artists know it, too. They're not wasting time on those “I am a Nigerian Prince” emails anymore. Nah, they’re hiding right in plain sight—with five-star reviews and influencer shoutouts.
If you think scams in 2025 look like some dude in a trench coat, think again. It’s Amazon best-sellers, viral YouTube “testimonials,” and just… affiliate links absolutely everywhere. Congrats, you’ve entered the post-skepticism era—a playground for grifters.
Why Scams Are Going Viral Like TikTok DancesBack in the day? Scams were, frankly, tragic. “Hello sir, you win iPhone, send $50 now.” Or those browser pop-ups you couldn't close fast enough. Now? Totally different game. You get a cheery influencer plugging the “Only Toolkit You’ll Ever Need!” Or an Amazon review section with more exclamation points than sense. All fake, all the time.
Here’s the sauce:
- Influencers bring the crowds. A viral video reaches more people than your local news.
- Affiliate marketers don’t lose; they just stack commissions, whether you get ripped off or not.
- Social media? It rewards drama and engagement, not truth. More likes = more visibility, facts be damned.
Fake Reviews: The Internet’s Favorite Lying GameLet’s be honest, scrolling through fake reviews is practically a hobby now. “OMG this product changed my LIFE!!!” Sure, Jan. Half these reviews are bots, some are random people from review sweatshops, some from college kids wanting a free mousepad in exchange for praising a product they never touched.
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork? Review farms so big they probably have a football league.
Amazon: Once the Goat, Now the Land of FakerinosAmazon used to be the gold standard for, “Is this worth spending twenty bucks on?” Not anymore. A ReviewMeta study in 2024 straight-up said over a third of Amazon reviews look sketchy. Thirty-five percent! Facebook groups are out here recruiting fake reviewers like it’s a sorority rush. People literally get paid to “buy,” leave a five-star review, and get their money back. It’s a conga line of garbage products convincing everyone they’re the real deal, while actually-good stuff gets buried in the junk heap.
Who loses? Us, of course. We waste money, get stuck with trash products, and good luck getting refunds.
Affiliate Links: Who Knew Earning Commission Was This Sus?Affiliate marketing. That phrase used to mean, “Hey, I’m recommending this cool thing I actually use.” Now? It’s become the Wild West. Sign up within five minutes, grab your special link, recommend literally anything, and cash in on sales—sometimes fifty, sixty, eighty percent of the sale price. Not always a bad thing, but, y’know, pretty ugly when the product is vaporware.
Influencers: Now Affiliate Bros Who Just Want Your ClickA ton of YouTube and TikTok “creators” are just full-time affiliate marketers in disguise. Their main job? Pumping out wild claims so you’ll hit that link. Ever see, “I made $10,000 in three days with this exact side hustle—check the link below!” Yeah, they didn’t. They got a PDF from the seller, repeated whatever was in there, and crossed their fingers you’d fall for it.
If you buy, they win. If you get scammed, eh—onto the next viral hustle.
Welcome to the Grift LoopLet’s paint the picture:
1. Some “never-seen-before” scammy product drops—like a $47 IG follower hack or a “Make $1,000/week” workshop.
2. Reviews? Fake. All glowing. All paid for.
3. Affiliates dive in. They want that sweet commission, so hype machine goes brrrr.
4. Viral spreads quickly—bloggers, YouTubers, TikTokers, everyone raving.
5. People buy, get ripped off, regret life.
6. Complaints mount? Scammers slap on a new name, start over, rinse, repeat.
Some Real World Shadiness That “Ultimate AI Copywriter Thing”Remember early 2024? Feels like a long time ago, huh? Influencers lost their minds over a “revolutionary” AI writing app—they promised it would get you financially free in, like, two months. What was it really? Just a buggy skin over OpenAI’s API, full of glitches, plus your data went off somewhere in Eastern Europe. Affiliates raked it in; users, not so much.
The Legendary $99 Side Hustle MockeryGorgeous sales page, “six-figure secrets,” and, drama alert, 5-star reviews everywhere. But open the “toolkit” and you got: a PDF full of nonsense, Canva templates you could drum up in half an hour, and broken links galore. The actors from “rave” testimonials? Probably already on to their next gig. The “company?” Poof—like it never existed.
Listen: the con game has leveled up. Don’t trust the five stars, the influencer plugs, or the “secret tools.” If something smells fishy, it’s probably just the internet cooking up another viral scam.
